Diaphragm valve



June 3, 1952 c. R. SUSKA 2,599,498

DIAPHRAGM VALVE Filed Feb. 8, 1949 [m /anion Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFI 'CE 7 12,599,498 .9 I H DiAPHRAGM V AnVE Cherries R; *Susli'a, Corry, Pa., assignor to Aero I Siiiiifly Co.,'In'c., Cr1"y, Pa. Application Fefbrt ary 8, 1949, Serial No; 75,11? 4 Claims. (o1. 251 119) iii-is invention riates to heat va ves, and is a e ii'ti iiiatio ir'i iiar't of eoeeiidihg applied- 'tiii Serial- No 58,200 filed November 4,1948, for

' iteversibie Float valve.

Afi olijct r this ifiveiitin to provide a a heat taiiie whi'eh may he reverse as to its hosifiii' and vvliifi indliides an intake pressure drieratea valve member w ich is regulate as to its iiiiehihe and dl'os'iii' hy ihea'ris of a heat which this ihstaiiee is or the doiiehiiiit type.

Another ohi'eet or this invention is "to provide a .iieat valve whereiii the main valve member isearried by a flexible diaphragm 'ioriiiing one Wall of a hressure chamber, and the pressure in the ehsihher is cont-roiled by the iiosition or a Valvefn'mbeif. I y I Y I 'A further object or this invention is to provide float connected to s cond or 'p'ressure release host verve structure which includes an apertiireii hood or shield engagirrgebo it the float I "so as to protect t e heat against sloshing and to minimise the 'efieots'of sur'siiig on the valve operation, the hood :01" shield being secured to the waive structure by means of an improved "fastening the tre.

Arurtherohjeet of this invention is to provide an i'fnfiidved diaphragm oheratedvaive truoture *wiiiehis regulate as to its movement by means "(if float, the diaphragm being secured to the raive hie'inber-by'aii mproved clamping means.

A further o'hiee't of this invention is to provide fleat taitestrdetiire whieh has been designed d fihi ain Beificonstantly Urged to closing p0- itiiih of a spring which substantially arises the main valve member and diaphragm "he that the main valve member a d d aphragm will be moved to either open or closed position by a relatively light inta e pres ur With the above and oth r objects in Vi w my invention c n ts in the arran m nt om ination and details oi eonst'ruetion disclosed the d wing n fl n p ea q i n then @9 99 p tiehiariy ointed out the a ended clan is in the drawing; the figure shewsavertieal sectional view partly broken awayand n section, n? afloat valveconstrueted according to an emhodiment of this invention.

Referring to the d awing, the mimerm it desi hates enerally a valve Body which is adapted to be secured to a suitame soiireeoi fluid supp y and in the resent instance the body 10 is associated with a main fuel tank and is connected to a pressure line whiehiri tum is'eoririeeted toone oi 'more auxiliary fuel tanks.

"The body 10 is provided with an intake passage II and an outlet 12. A resiiieht valve seat memher 13 is mounted within the inner end of the intake passage and the hresent instance is formed of rubber, composition or the like; and the body 10 is formed with an annular groove Id outwardly fromthe inner" end of the passage ii within which the seat memb r I3 is adapted to be tightly damped; by means of a split clamping band 15 which looked iii/the interior of the seat member i3 by means of a split locking ring 16.,

' A disc-shaped valve member or head H is adapted when in closed position to engage on'the inner end of the seat I3 and the outeif marginal portion of the main valvemember H is downturned as indicated at I8. The main valve memher I? is carried by 'a flexible diaphragm l9 which is interposed between an inner head and the inner end of the housing or body l0, being secured between the head "20 and the body 10 by fastening means 2 i. v

A pressure applying ring 22 bears against the inner or upper side of the head 20 for tightly clamping the marginal portion of head 20 and the marginal portion of the diaphragm [9 to the body [0. The diaphragm l9 issecured to the valve member ll by means of a fitting generally designated as 23.- rh-efitting?3 ineiu'des a disc -shaped plate 24 which is formed with a centrai openin 25 and is also provided :fith an annular flange 26 at its lower or intake side.

The valve member 11 is formed with an annular head 21 having the concave or grooved side thereof outermost, and the plate 24 isfo'rmed in its inner side with an annular bead -28 engaging in the groove or bead 21. A screen 29 engages about the annular flange 26, "being secured to the flange 26 by means or a locking ring 39. The plate 24 is provided with a gylindric'al ex;- te'ns'ion or flange 31 extendin from the inner side v thereof, and extending through the center of valve member ll anddi'abhragm 19..

An inner clamping plate engages about the flange 3| and bears against the inner upper side of diaphragm t9. The clamping plate 32 is provided with an anniuar groove or channel 33 outwardly from the flange 3| so as to thereby form an annular clamping bead 34 bearing against the diaphragm 19 to tightly clamp the diaphragm l9 and valve member 11 together about the bead 21. A second annular clamping bead is formed on plate 32 outwardly of bead 34 adapted to clamp diaphragm l9 to valve member I1 outwardly of bead 21.

The flange 3| at its inner or upper end is overturned as indicated at 36 so that the two plates 24 and .32 which are clamping plates will be tightly held on the valve member l1 and diaphragm l9. A tapered or conical spring 31 is interposed between plate 32 and the head 20 and bears at its lower or outer end against the inner clamping plate 32 and is seated in an annular groove 38 which is formed in the plate 32. The spring 31 is of such strength or tension that the diaphragm l9 and the valve member l1 will be constantly urged toward closing position but any light intake pressure in intake passage II with release of pressure in pressure chamber 39 which is formed between the dia phragm l9 and the head 20 will permit valve member l1 to move upwardly or inwardly to open position.

A pressure release housing 48 is carried by and extends upwardly from head 20, being formed at its lower end with an annular flange 4! disposed within the chamber 39 and provides a centering means for the upper small end of the spring 31. The release housing 40 is formed with a cylinder 42 within which a release valve member or piston generally designated as 43 is adapted to slidably engage. The housing 40 is provided with a, lengthwise extending passage 44 opening through the lower end of the housing 49 into the chamber 39. The housing 40 is also provided with a horizontally disposed passage 45 communicating the lengthwise passage 44 with the float chamber 46 which is formed about the housing 40, by means of an apertured hood or shield 41.

. The piston or valve member 43 includes a lower valve plug 48 and an intermediate valve plug 49 connected to the lower plug 48 by means of a small diameter connecting member or stem 58 which forms an annular groove 5| adapted upon lower or inward movement of piston 43 to register with the horizontal passage 45 so that float chamber 46 will be communicated with pressure chamber 39 in order to release the pressure of fluid in chamber 39.

The housing 40 is formed at its lower end with a chamber 52 which is connected with the float chamber 46 by means of an angled passage 53 so that any air or fluid in the chamber 52 will be released for passage into the float chamber 46 through the angled passage 53.

The piston or valve plug member 43 also includes an upper head 54 which is connected with the head or plug 49 by a small diameter stem 55 which forms an annular groove 56 within which a piston limiting pin 51 is adapted to loosely engage. The pin 51 in one position of the valve structure, as for instance the position shown in the drawing where the release valve housing 40 extends upwardly from the head 20,

is adapted 'to be positioned in an opening 58 formed horizontally through the housing 40, whereas when the valve structure is inverted the pin 51 is adapted to be positioned in a second opening 59 spaced inwardly from the opening 58. When pin 51 is in opening 58, valve head 48 is the operating head and is adapted upon movement of plug or piston 43 to its uppermost position to intersect passage 45. When the valve structure is inverted the valve head 49 is the operating head and is adapted upon upward movement of the piston or plug 43 to intersect release passage 45.

A hollow float 60 is secured to a stem 6| extending from the plug or piston 43 and in the present instance the float 60 is of the doughnut type, being formed with a central opening 62, and the stem 6| is secured to the upper end of the float 60 by means of a dished plate 63 which may be fixed as by brazing, soldering or other suitable fastening means to the float 60 and secured to the stem 6| by means of a nut 64 which is threaded onto a threaded stud 65 carried by the upper end of the stern 6| and locked by means of a cotter pin 64a or other suitable locking means.

The hood or shield 41 is formed of a cylindrical side wall 66 which engages about the housing or body I0 and is secured thereto by means of one or more substantially C-shaped clips 61 which are secured to the body In by fastening means 68. The shield or hood 41 also includes an upper wall 69 formed with a plurality of openings 10 and the side wall 66 is formed with openings 1| and 12 spaced along the length thereof so that fluid can freely enter the hood or shield 41 to activate the float 60, but the shield 41 will prevent the sloshing of fluid in the tank from unduly affecting the operation of float 68.

In the use and operation of this valve structure, the body In is adapted to be connected to a source of fluid supply which is under pressure and the valve body [0 with its associated structure is adapted to be disposed within a fluid tank, such as the main or other fuel tank of an airplane. Assuming that the fluid in the tank is at a relatively low level, float 60 will be in its lower position wherein passage or groove 5| will be in registry with release passage 45. The pressure at this time will be released from pressure chamber 39 so that the intake pressure will move valve member [1 inwardly or upwardly to open position permitting the fluid to flow from intake passage 1 I through outlet passage l2 into the tank. As the fluid rises in the tank this fluid will rise in the float chamber 46, raising float 60 and bringing valve head 48 into intersecting position across release passage 45. When valve head 48 is in intersecting position across release passage 45, pressure in pressure chamber 39 will build up by flow of fluid through the small opening 25 in fitting ,23, and when pressurein chamber 39 is sufliciently built up, diaphragm IS with valve member l1 will be moved downwardly to closing position withvalve member 11 contacting valve seat member [3.

It will be understood that the valve structure hereinbefore described may be reversed as to its position with the float in the lowermost position. Where the valve structure isreversed, pin 51 will be disposed in opening 59 of release housing 44, and piston 43 will be moved upwardly a slight distance so that intermediate head 49 will be above pin 51. In the inverted position, when the float is in the down position groove 5| will register with passage 45, and when fluid rises in the tank head 49 will be moved upwardly to intersecting position across release passage 45. In either position of the valve structure pin 51 will be disposed'in groove 56.

I do not mean'to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressure operated valve structure including a valve housing, a valve member and a flexible diaphragm, an annular bead carried by said valve member projecting from one face of said valve member and forming an annular groove in the opposite face of said valve member, and clamping means for clamping said valve member and diaphragm together, said clamping means comprising a pair of plates, a bead carried by one of said plates engaging in the groove of said valve member, and a cylindrical flange carried by said one plate extending through said valve member, diaphragm and said other plate, the end of said flange being outwardly bent to form an annular clamping flange for clamping engagement with said other plate, said other plate having an annular tion of said diaphragm deformed by said first named bead is adapted to engage, one edge of said latter groove engaging said diaphragm to clamp the latter against said first named bead.

2. In a pressure operated valve structure including a valve housing, a valve member and a flexible diaphragm, an annular bead carried by said valve member projecting from one face of said valve member and forming an annular groove in the opposite face of said valve member,

and clamping means for clamping said valve member and diaphragm together, said clamping means comprising a pair of plates, a bead carried by one of said plates engaging in the groove of said valve member, a cylindrical flange carried by said one plate extending through said valve member, diaphragm and said other plate, the end of said flange being outwardly bent to form an annular clamping flange for clamping engagement with said other plate, said other plate having an annular groove within which that portion of said diaphragm deformed by said first named bead is adapted to engage, one edge of said groove engaging said diaphragm to clamp the latter against said first named bead, and an annular rib carried by said other plate outwardly of said latter named groove for binding engagement with said diaphragm.

3. In a valve structure a valve plate, a diaphragm at one side of said plate, and means securing said plate and diaphragm together, said plate including an annular bead confronting said diaphragm, said securing means comprising groove within which that pora pair of clamping plates, an annular flange carried by one of said clamping plates extending through said valve plate, diaphragm and the other of said clamping plates, an annular outwardly extending clamping flange formed on said cylindrical flange bearing against the other of said clamping plates, said other clamping plate having an annular channel within which the deformed portion of said diaphragm caused by said bead on said valve plate is adapted to engage, said channel being so disposed that one edge thereof is adapted to clampingly engage said deformed portion of said diaphragm.

4. In a valve structure a valve plate, a diaphragm at one side of said plate, and means securing said plate and diaphragm together, said plate including an annular bead confronting said diaphragm, said securing means comprising a pair of clamping plates, an annular flange carried by one of said clamping plates extending through said valve plate, diaphragm and the other of said clamping plates, an annular outwardly extending clamping flange formed on said flange bearing against the other of said clamping plates, said other clamping plate having an annular channel within which the deformed portion of said diaphragm caused by said bead on said valve plate is adapted to engage, said channel being so disposed that one edge thereof is adapted to clampingly engage said deformed portion of said diaphragm, and an annular rib carried by said other clamping plate outwardly of said chan= nel tightly engaging against said diaphragm.

CHARLES R. SUSKA.

REFERENQES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,062,300 Pierce May 20, 1913 1,248,650 Gustafsen Dec. 4, 1917 1,333,646 Watrous Mar. 16, 1920 1,676,084 Flagg July 3, 1928 1,806,360 Moller May 19, 1931 2,228,552 Arbogast Jan. 14, 1941 2,491,521 Samiran Dec. 20, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 6'74 Great Britain of 1868 '7 99 Great Britain of 1876 56,968 Switzerland of 1911 

